This invention relates to cooking grills or broilers, and is more particularly related to a cooking grill which is used to cook meat over an open flame.
Grills or broilers are commonly used in cooking. Such grills or broilers are characterized by a metal grid onto which meat or other food is placed. A heat source is provided underneath the grill or broiler, and the heat rises to heat the grill and to cook the food. The heat raises the temperature of the grill, and heat rises through the spaces between the members which make up the grid of the grill or broiler.
Heat may be produced by various means. Heat may be produced by electrical resistance, or by burning fuels such as gas, wood or charcoal or other known means.
From ancient times, it has been common to cook over an open flame. In modern times, this open flame is most commonly produced by wood, gas or charcoal. If open flame is used indoors, the open flame is most commonly provided by means of gas.
Outdoor grills or barbecue devices cook over an open flame. The open flame may be provided by burning gas, such as propane, or by using liquid hydrocarbon fuels which in turn ignite solid hydrocarbon fuels, such as charcoal or wood.
Controlling a flame which is provided by burning solid fuels such as charcoal briquets and wood is difficult. While a flow of gas may be regulated, charcoal may flame initially, then the flame dies away. The problem with regulating flames where using charcoal is even greater in that liquid fuels are used to ignite the charcoal and the liquid fuels will flame in an unregulated manner for a period of time. Likewise, wood fires provide a desirable smoke characteristic which is imparted to the food as it is cooked, but it is difficult to regulate the flame.
The problem with cooking over an open flame is compounded by an additional fuel which is added during the cooking process. This additional fuel is grease which falls from the food, and particularly, meat, as the meat is cooked over the open flame. Grease falls onto the charcoal or wood and is absorbed, and then burns from the charcoal or wood in a completely uncontrolled, and usually, undesired, manner. Even with gas grills, flaming and "hot spots" occur in an undesired manner as grease falls into the flame. If the grease does not burn, it presents a sanitation problem.